The Reading Guru is hosting an excerpt from “From Frights to Flaws” today, a MG fantasy novel currently touring with Enchanted Book Promotions.

Book Excerpt

Alyssa moaned and let out quick breaths through her gritted teeth. If the snake had given up, she’d stay sitting down until she felt better. But there was no time for that. The snake still had an interest in biting her. It continued to slither, breathing ash. Shrieking, Alyssa bolted up and turned around. But wait a minute—she was heading into the rainforest. Not only would she receive scrapes and cuts from various branches and plants, but unless she saw a walking trail, she’d also have a tough time fleeing. She might as well sacrifice herself to the snake.

Facing vines, twigs, trees, bushes, and fronds, Alyssa had to find her way around them, which, of course, was no scoop of vanilla ice cream. Her legs ached from all the different movements she made. She ran sideways from a tree, jumped over a couple of twigs and vines, and zigzagged around trees and bushes. Thank goodness the snake hadn’t caught her so far. Even better luck, a trail lay in front of her. Perfect—no more ground obstacles—at least for now.

Alyssa’s skinny legs and body kept her energy going, but she still wished she could sit or lie down. Her legs felt like they’d been clogged with broken cobblestones. But the snake didn’t lose energy at all. In fact, it continued to slither, which meant that she had to run more.

She hastened down the trail, inhaling and exhaling hoarse breaths. Her throat had dried up, making her cough along the way. The ash the snake breathed increased her coughing, drying her throat until it could dry no more. She stopped as she coughed, but once she opened her eyes… she might have to let the snake bite her.

From Frights to Flaws

Twelve-year-old Alyssa McCarthy can no longer stand the toughness of her uncle and wants a better life. But one day she discovers not only the existence of magic, but also a villain hunting her down. The villain uses magic and magical technology to kidnap Alyssa to the Fiji Islands. As much as she wants to go home, she has to face some dangerous challenges first. Not only that, the villain himself must also be defeated. Can Alyssa succeed, even with the help of her mentors?

Author Bio

Sunayna Prasad has been writing stories for over thirteen years, starting at the age of six. Now nineteen, she will start her junior year of college this fall, and will study accessory design as well as continue to write for children. Aside from that, Sunayna also likes to cook, watch movies, and draw. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her family.